THE GIFT OF FORGIVENESS

Matthew 6:9-15 In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. (10) Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. (11) Give us this day our daily bread. (12) And forgive us

our debts, As we forgive our debtors. (13) And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

(14) "For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.

(15) But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive

your trespasses.

FAMILY DRAMAA.Did you write an annual Christmas letter

this year?   B.What did your Christmas letter looks like

this year.1. Was it an easy year or a hang-on-for-

dear-life kind of year?  2. Sometimes life packs such a wallop of

dramatic surprises that words don't even begin to describe it

3. If you had a roller coaster kind of year, you can take heart that you are not alone! 

FAMILY DRAMAB. The bible is filled with family drama

1. Adam and Eve effectively lost their two sons when Cain's jealousy baited him to kill his younger brother Abel.

2. Jealousy reared it's ugly headed again in Jacob's family when the older brothers grew tired of baby brother Joseph and sold him into slavery and lied to cover their deed by telling Dad that poor Joseph had been killed by wild animals. 

3. Moses married a woman of a different ethnicity and his two siblings tried to stir the people up against his leadership. 

C. Devastation and drama! And that is only the beginning of the Bible's list of family sagas.

FAMILY DRAMAD. Forgiveness played a key role in handling the family

drama.    1. When Cain killed Abel, God spoke with Cain before

the fatal decision, guiding him to understand how to beat down the temptation within him (Genesis 4:7).  Cain acted against God's counsel and took the life of his brother.  God banished Cain and put some kind of mark on him so that others wouldn't decided to enact their own justice and kill him. 

2. God elevated Joseph to a position of power second only to the Pharaoh and it was to Joseph that his brothers eventually bowed and pled for mercy. Joseph forgave his brothers (Genesis 50:19-21).  

3. In Moses' family saga, Miriam bore the brunt of God's discipline (assuming that she was more the instigator behind the ruckus) and she turned leprous.  Moses prayed and begged God to heal her and have mercy on her -- an expression of love and forgiveness.

FAMILY DRAMAE.Forgiveness is an emotional and spiritual

healing process that happens between you and another person. 

F. Reconciliation is a healing process that takes place between you and that person. 

G.Sometimes we are not able to have the reconciliation we would wish for, but we are always called to forgive. 

H.Forgiveness is related to three "R" words.

I. REMEMBERING - Forgiveness is about Remembering! A.We need to remember God's abundant grace

and the forgiveness He has granted us in spite of our own sins.

B.We need to remember we too are in need of God's grace and forgiveness- just like the person who offended us.

C.Ephesians 4:32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you.

D.1 John 1:9-10  If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10  If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.

E. Ecclesiastes 7:21-22  Also do not take to heart everything people say, Lest you hear your servant cursing you. 22  For many times, also, your own heart has known That even you have cursed others.

I. REMEMBERING - Forgiveness is about Remembering! E. We need to remember we once were in need of

forgiveness - Titus 3:1-7 Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work, (2) to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men. (3) For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. (4) But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, (5) not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, (6) whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, (7) that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

II. RECOGNIZING - Forgiveness is about Recognizing! A. You are important to God – Zechariah 2:8 holds a visual image we should keep fresh in our minds: For thus says the LORD of hosts: "He sent Me after glory, to the nations which plunder you; for he who touches you touches the apple of His eye.

1. The phrase "the apple of His eye" is a term of endearment.

2. But the phrase literally means you are held so close to someone that you can see your own reflection in the pupil of their eye.

3. God is holding you so near and dear to Himself that if you look up, you will see your reflection in His eyes!

II. RECOGNIZING - Forgiveness is about Recognizing! B. We need to recognize our true

identity in Christ! 1 John 3:1-3 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. (2) Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. (3) And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

III. RESTING - Forgiveness is about Resting in God's judgment. A. At the end of the day, what's done is done. If I trust that my heavenly Father sifted the pieces of my life through His loving hands, then I must come to the conclusion that He is ultimately able to use the pain for good. 1. Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.2. We can choose to rest in His ability to set things right. Easier said than done, but it will grant us peace -- something a wounded soul desperately needs!

III. RESTING - Forgiveness is about Resting in God's judgment. B. The other aspect of His all-powerfulness that we should rest in is

His ability to meet out perfect justice. 1. Yet, there are things in life that are deeply wrong and God

wouldn't be a loving God if He didn't set a few things straight. 2. Romans 12:17-21 Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for

good things in the sight of all men. (18) If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. (19) Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord. (20) Therefore "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head." (21) Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

3. When you let God handle the matter, you can rest in Him and be the gracious person He called you to be!

III. RESTING - Forgiveness is about Resting in God's judgment. C. One last thought about forgiveness. Miriam isn't mentioned much

after her rebelling against Moses.  1. It seems as though she wasn't given the same place of leadership

she had once enjoyed.  2. God calls us to forgive. 3. But He doesn't require us to enter into some kind of crazy-making

cycle where we give trust to people who haven't earned it. 4. Sometimes we can reconcile differences and enjoy the same sweet

fellowship as before the offense. 5. Sometimes we forgive, but the person never earns back that place

of trust. 6. That is okay -- it doesn't usually feel okay, but it is.  7. It is better to let go of expectations into the Father's tender care

than to hang them over someone else's head and over your heart.

YOU AND FORGIVENESS?A. As the holidays approach and the stress of it all brings

out the sometimes not-so-very best in us and our family members, consider how God might be calling you to forgive and to perhaps let go of a few expectations into His hands.

B. After all, forgiveness was the whole point of Christ's birth, life and death!

C. Forgiving someone just might be the best present you can give them.

D. Forgiving someone just might be the best present you can give yourself.

E. Unwillingness to forgive does more damage to us than it does to the offender.

F. We think we are punishing them by withholding forgiveness but in reality it is we who suffer most.

TONIGHT’S SERMONGIFTS WE ALL NEED